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Ozone is a natural gas; it is an allotrope of oxygen consisting of three atoms of oxygen bound together in a non- linear fashion. The chemical symbol of ozone is O3.
It is found in two different layers of the atmosphere. Ozone in the troposphere is “bad” because it dirties the air and helps to form smog, which is not good to breathe. Ozone in the stratosphere is “good” because it protects life on Earth by absorbing some of the sun’s harmful Ultra Violet (UV) rays.
The ozone layer is very important because the configuration of the ozone molecule and its chemical properties are such that ozone efficiently absorbs ultraviolet light, thus acting like a sun-screen.
The UV rays cause direct damage to the genetic material or DNA of animal and plant cells. Exposure of mammals to UV light has been shown to act on the immune system, thereby making the body more susceptible to diseases.
Do you know?
♤ Hoolock Gibbon is the only ape found in India. Rest of the monkeys are all macaques and langurs. In India is distributed in the northeast India.
♤ Palms are typically unbranched trees with only one trunk (columnar stem), called the “caudex,” which ends in a crown of large leaves.
In doing so, ozone protects oxygen at lower altitudes from being broken up by the action of ultraviolet light and also keeps most of the ultraviolet radiation from reaching the earth’s surface.
It helps in reducing the risks of mutation and harm to plant and animal life. Too much UV rays can cause skin cancer and will also harm all plants and animals. Life on Earth could not exist without the protective shield of the ozone layer.